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Voluntary feed intake, dry matter intake and consumption rate of three compositionally differing fibre sources when fed to veteran horses with compromised dentition
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Extract
In recent years, the importance of fibre provision within the horse’s diet has been realised (Ralston 2005). Consideration of the evolutionary design of the animal, combined with a greater understanding of the aetiology of metabolic disorders, has re-iterated the need for horses to be fed diets high in fibre, especially those horses on maintenance rations. It has been acknowledged that although older horses can survive on maintenance rations, they are often at risk of weight loss (Ralston, 2005), a factor that is increased if dentition is poor (Dacre, 2005). Therefore nutritional management is vital to optimise nutrient provision. In dentally compromised animals, diet type and feed availability should be managed to promote ease of consumption, and subsequent factors compromising such consumption should be eliminated. Various methods of enhancing voluntary feed intake (VFI) have been devised (Dacre, 2005). Soaking hay may alleviate some problems associated with the ingestion and mastication of a course forage product, but can lead to consequences with decreased nutrient intake. Provision of softer fibre sources (haylage, silage) could also be considered, but will, conversely, increase nutrient intake. Short chopped fibre may decrease the overall need to chew. Other products, such as fibre pellets, may be fed soaked to horses with the most serious dental problems, thus removing the need for mastication. Currently there exists little information relating to VFI of various forage sources offered to older horses with compromised dentition. The aim of this study was to investigate dry matter intake (DMI), VFI and consumption rates of three fibre sources, hay (H), DM– 915g/kg, short-chop forage (SF), DM -860g/kg and soaked fibre pellets (FP), DM – 900g/kg, in veteran horses with poor dentition. SF and FP were both commercially available preparations consisting of high temperature dried grass and alfalfa (SF) and sugar beet and alfalfa (FP).
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- Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2008